Migrant workers seek better life in urban areas
As many as 80 percent of Vietnamese migrant workers are believed to move from rural to urban areas to earn a better income, according to statistics released at a workshop in Hanoi on August 26.
The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) said that up to 6.5 million people rushed to urban areas between 2004 and 2009. Eighty percent of them made their move for economic purposes.
Seventy percent of migrant workers are below the age of 30. Those flocking to industrial zones are primarily women with an average age of 23.
The ministry reported that 66 percent of migrant workers lack technical expertise and qualifications, and have to take dangerous and unstable jobs in a toxic environment.
Le Quang Trung, Deputy Head of the MoLISA’s Employment Department said his department will come up with measures to assist migrant workers.
In the future, they will know which and when any industrial park is up and running so that they can do vocational training before working there, he said.
In fact, support policies in localities have not been will in place and there is often social disorder caused by migrant group’s conflicts with local people.